Tracker mechanism for pneumatic or player pianos.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21\I9|6.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

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SiELV-If0-R fS-WAf-NSON, 0F NORTH TONA. WANI DA, YOSRK.

:TRACKER FOR PNEUMATICYUORTLAYER PLANOS.

l B@ lknOWn 'that I 'SLYIYQR SYANSON ajcitizenlof the United States) and resident Y0f ".NQrth Teeivauda, in .the County [0f IN- agara andState of' New York, have invented certain new `and useful Improvements in 'lrackerl lVlechanism for Pneumatic or Player :Pi/anos; yof which the following isa specification.

My invention Irelates'to a tracker mechanism for pneumatic or player pianos.

ufjeThis4 invention ,for `one of `its objects to Prrd @a mechanism. .for autQmatC/ally retaining the 11111561511 fili a posities .whereits openingsfarejfin alinement with the openings in thev tracker bar.

Another objectoffthepresent invention is to'provide a tracker mechanism of the above mentioned -character .whchmay be adapted to the music roll holding boxes of different sizes.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a tracker mechanism of the above mentioned character having a new and simple valve arrangement for controlling the same associated therewith.A

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tracker mechanism which consists of few parts, is simple in construction and which may be manufactured and placed on the market at a comparatively low cost.

The invention consists in the combinations, arrangement of parts and operations that will be explicitly set forth in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View showing my tracker mechanism in operative position; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the pneumatic valve.

Like characters of reference indicate like l parts in all the views.

The numeral 5 designates a music roll holding box and 6 the cross bar of the piano. The usual tracker bar 7 andthe usual winding spool 8 are mounted in the music roll box 5.

Specification ,of Letters'latent.

Y .latented Oct. 9,491 7.

. lerviilcariafile Seventer 21,191.6,- Saial NO- .124,524-

10. Mounted between the tracker 'bar 7 and lthe vmusic roll is `a cylindrical 12 having its ends reducedfand lmounted in bearings or brackets 13 which tare y,preferably secured lto the :outer face of Athe `vertical sidesof the box 5. The reduced ,ends of this bar 12 are hollow and communicate with ducts or openings 14: which ,extend tothe periphery ofthe bar 12. "These reduced ends are rigidly secured within Ithe bearings or brackets 13 by means .of vsuitable set screws. Thisbar maybeadapted fto any elle 111.11510. roll' haleine 'bOXQbirSmpy gaging `the set Ascrews with ithe yredu(jedwen'ds of .the bar 12 atany pointtlyiereon.`"n 'I Thellunieral's 151Iand 16 'designate-,the y,upper and lower members ofthe valve' lclt which are spaced apart by blocksl. *These members luand 16` lbesecured to (the .blocks 18 by gluing or the like or bolts 19, as shown, which extend through these members and through the cross bar 6. The lower member 15 has recesses or pouch chambers 2O formed in its upper face and covering the same are pouches 21. Formed in this member 15 are 4openings or ducts 22 which communicate with the pouch chambers 20 and which extend to the outer longitudinal edge of said member 15. Communicating with these openings or ducts are tubes 23 which are engaged with the reduced tubular ends of the bar 12. The upper member 16 is formed with a vertically extending member or bellows support 24 having the bellows 25 mounted thereon. This bellows suporting member 24k is provided at its lower end with vertically extending openings 26 which open upon opposite sides of this member 24 and communicate at their lower ends with horizontally extending openings 27 formed in the upper member 16 which in turn communicate with openings 2S that extend at right angles to the openings 27 and establish communication between the same and the atmosphere. Mounted in these openings 28 are valves 29 which normally cut off cornmunication between the atmosphere and the pneumatics 25 and rest on the pouches 21. An exhaust port 30 is located between the members 15 and 16 and communicates with suitable air exhausting means.

Pivotally supported upon the bar 11 is an arm 31 which contacts with the bearing 10 and is connected with an operating rod l1 which in turn is operatively connected with one of the pneumatics 25.

The operation of the tracker mechanism is as follows: Should the music sheet shift to uncover either of the openings 14, atmospheric pressure will force eitheroneof the valves, as the case may be, upwardly which will permit atmospheric pressure to flow into one of the pneumatics 25 to operate the operating rod 4l which in turn actuates the rod 31 to shift the music roll to its original position.

While I have described what is now believed to be the best embodiment of my in- Vention, I wish it understood that the same may be modified in many different respects that may fairly fall within thc scope of the appended claim. f

What I claim is: l Y

In a means for automatically tracking a music sheet. in combination, a music roll holding box, a tracker'bar therein, a music roll mounted yin the music roll holding box above the tracker bar upon a spring actuated shaft and a longitudinally shiftable shaft, said longitudinally 'shiftable shaft being relatively long and extending through an opening in the music roll box and through ber being loosely connected at its upper end c to a bar positioned above and parallel to the music roll holding box, said bar being capable of lateral movement; pneumatc connected to said bar and a hollow ended bar positioned directly above4 the tracker bar, said hollow ends extending through the music roll box and connected to the pael matics, the ends communicating with ducts extending to the periphery of the bar, said ducts being normally covered by the music f sheet near the edges thereof.

SELVIYOR A. SWANSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the I Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

